Disclaimer: I no own! The song that Suguru writes for Suzan is actually a Kelly Clarkson song named 'Breakaway' so it belongs to her and her record people!
Authors note: Hehe . . . I've got my boyfriend writing Fanfiction now! Hehe! I'm infectious!
Yes, the Japanese is real Japanese. I know very little so I used an online translator to translate my English text into Kanji and then another translator to translate the Kanji into Romaji (Romanised Japanese). Soooo, because of the translators, it's probably a bit iffy in places, I've noticed a couple of mistakes myself personally so anyone that actually understands Romaji, I apologise if I look like a moron!
Somewhere In Between
By Bubblegum Thai
Chapter Fourteen: Breakaway.
He was twenty-two and had just said goodbye to yet another girl.
It wasn't like he was a playboy, far from it . . . he just seemed to attract women. He wouldn't say that he was handsome . . . nor ugly . . . just average with thick, near-auburn hair and olive eyes. Women liked him because he was sweet, artistic . . . poetic . . . people confused this with romantic, but he knew he really had no time for women anymore. Soon he'd be moving to Tracy Island with the rest of his brothers to continue work on the International Rescue operation, bringing it closer to completion and opening.
Soon they'd be saving lives and no one else would have to die needlessly like his Mother had. No one would have to die just because there wasn't enough time . . . soon . . . they'd be like Gods.
It was a crisp night, so Virgil stuffed his hands into his pockets and hunched over, shuffling home quickly. It wasn't long until their large town-house loomed into view along with the rest of the street. It wasn't until he neared that he noticed, in the glow of the street light, that there was a figure scrunched up on the stairs. He hoped and prayed it wasn't another homeless person, it upset him dearly to see these people, in this day and age to still suffer from poverty.
Getting closer, he realised it was a girl. A young girl.
Closer still, he recognised the black pleated skirt, thick white tights and white polo-neck jumper, not to mention the dark brown hair tumbling in loose ringlets all around the figure. It was his sister, her face buried into her knees, arms crossed atop of them. He could hear her sobs faintly over the cities traffic and other noises so he broke out into a run, nearly slipping on the side walk. He ran up the four steps to where his sister sat at the second to the top step, quietly whimpering to herself,
"Suzan!" Virgil exclaimed, dropping down and kneeling on a couple of steps down so that his face was level with hers, "Suzan!" He exclaimed, "What's wrong, honey!" He asked, wrapping his arms around her tightly, "God! You're freezing!" He exclaimed, "What're you doing out here? Where's your coat?"
She sniffled, but refused to look at him,
"I only popped out for a little while . . . it wasn't so cold when I left!"
"Why won't you look at me?" He asked, trying hard to tilt his head to look into her face, "C'mon kiddo! It's me! Virgil!"
"I know . . . I just . . . promise me you won't get mad?"
"Oh god! What've you done? He didn't talk you into getting a piercing . . . OR A TATTOO!" He panicked,
"No . . . it's nothing like that . . ." She whispered, lifting her head slightly. Virgil struggled to see her face and in the end, lifted her chin with his finger. Her eyes were swollen and red, and that was enough to yank the caring brother's heart out, but what enraged him was the red swell of the beginnings of a bruise beginning to grow on his baby sister's temple,
"How did you . . .?"
"It doesn't matter . . ."
"Suzan . . ." He murmured, feeling an anger beginning to swell, "He didn't . . ."
"Virg' . . . it doesn't matter . . . really . . . I . . . I'm fine, see? No bruising . . ."
"You're such a kid . . ." He huffed, standing up strait, "You know that'll be a bruise by the morning!"
"I know!" She whimpered, tears beginning to brim again, "I . . . what am I going to do? Dad'll hit the roof!"
"I'll kill him!" Virgil muttered, "Come on . . . go inside . . . is Scott home?"
"Virgil! No!" Suzan growled, standing up to her full height which was nothing in comparison to his, "Please . . . don't . . ."
"Go inside . . ." He sighed, "I'll be home soon, ok? If anyone asks, you fell. Don't worry. I'll vouch for you, ok?"
- - -
Virgil was jolted awake by someone gently touching his arm. He blinked, looking up at Suguru in the dark,
"You fell asleep at the piano." He stated calmly, "I didn't mean to frighten you, but I was hoping to catch you alone at some point."
Virgil nodded,
"I was going to say the same thing." He yawned and stretched as he stood, heading for a light switch, "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"I wanted to tell you that I love your sister . . . and I admire you for everything you do and have done for her. I've got a sister myself, she's eleven,"
"Same age gap as Suzan and me." Virgil noted mentally,
"and I think I'd react the same way you and your brothers have reacted towards me. I know that you've all been through a lot with your parents and I know that there are things I don't understand about your circumstances, and I accept that I may never know to the full extent, but . . . I wanted to say that it's honourable how you all look out for one another as you do."
Virgil smiled,
"Thanks, Suguru. That means a lot to me, coming from someone on the outside."
"No problem . . . now . . . what can I do for you, Mister Tracy?"
"Mister Tracy's my Father, you can call me Virgil."
"Alright . . . Virgil . . . what's up?"
"Well . . . this'll sound a little weird . . . but, I need some help . . ."
- - -
John walked through the kitchen and dining room towards the hallway just as the front door closed. He was about to greet whoever had come in from outside but as he was about to step out of the dining room, Suzan ran down the stairs and disappeared behind the wall that hid the front door,
"Virgil, what did you do? Where did you go!" He heard her cry, "Is that . . . is that blood!"
"Shhh . . . you're safe now. That's all you need to know." Virgil answered, walking forwards so now John could see him, he was about to step up the stairs when Suzan ran towards him, stopping at the foot of the stairs. She was so small back then,
"What did you do? Virgil? Tell me!"
Virgil only ignored her, pulling his long-sleeved baseball shirt up over his head as he walked up the staircase, leaving the youngest at the foot, staring after her favoured brother.
- - -
John awoke, it was daylight and it was streaming through his curtains in that really annoying, almost blinding way. He huffed, covering his eyes with his arm and groaned,
"It's too damned early . . . I forgot about that wretched sun . . ." He told himself before surrendering to the morning and tumbling out of his bed. He found his slippers and dressing gown before creeping out onto the hallway. He guessed that it must be early. He couldn't tell, the batteries had run out in his clock and he'd forgotten to replace them so it was eternally three o'clock in his bedroom.
As he walked passed Gordon's room, he heard his brother's familiar snore. He shuffled into the living room and made a bee-line for the kitchen,
"DAMN IT!" Came a rough growl from within. John frowned and entered quietly. It was Scott. He was up early also and had just burnt himself making a mug of coffee,
"That damned coffee pot, huh?" John joked, joining his brother, "It burnt Gordon the other day."
"Hey, what're you doing up so early?" Scott asked,
"Bad dream. What's your excuse?"
"I'm always up early. Comes with the training, y'know?"
"Ah . . . I managed to break those habits."
"So what was the dream about?" Scott asked, sipping at his coffee.
John swallowed hard. As far as he was aware, only he knew about Virgil's little adventure two years ago on the evening. Scott couldn't possibly know,
"It was nothing . . . just the usual . . . family . . . death . . . etcetera . . ."
"Ahh." Scott mused understandingly, "I getcha!" He laughed softly,
"Phew . . . that was close . . ." John thought.
- - -
That afternoon, Virgil was sat on the beach when his watch began and bleep quietly,
"Yes, Father?"
"Virgil . . . I'm afraid we're got a mission . . ."
"Right, I'm on my way up." He said, jumping up, kicking sand around him as he did so before turning and retreating up towards the villa. He entered the oddly quiet living room. Then he heard the sound of Thunderbird 1 taking off,
"This one's just for you and Scott, Virgil." He said, "Routine . . . another fire, this one's over in Canada."
"Right! I'm off!" Virgil exclaimed, walking across the room to the painting.
- - -
Suzan and Suguru sat in Suzan's bedroom which had been sound-proofed before Suguru had arrived so that in the event of a mission, Suzan could keep him occupied. Though Jeff hadn't liked it at first, Suzan had reassured him that he had nothing to worry about . . . it wasn't proper for a girl of her age to do those sorts of things with a man yet, which had relaxed him. Not like Jeff had a choice anyway,
"Suzan . . ." Suguru began, "I've written you a song, in English. It took me a very long time, but all those times I'd sit and wait for you in the coffee bar, I'd be working on it. I know it's a little inaccurate but I thought that it mostly fits from what I know about your life."
Suzan smiled warmly,
"I . . . wow . . . no one's ever done that for me before . . . thank you!"
"I'd like to sing it to you." He said, pulling up his guitar and resting it on his knees, "I know that this is cheesy and everything . . . but . . . well . . . I guess I'll let you decide . . ."
Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I'd
just stare out my window
Dreaming of what could be
And if I'd
end up happy
I would pray
Trying hard to reach out
But
when I tried to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Wanted
to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I prayed I
could break away
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to
fly
I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky
And I'll make a
wish
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the
darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I
love
I'll take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And
breakaway
Wanna feel the warm breeze
Sleep under a palm
tree
Feel the rush of the ocean
Get onboard a fast train
Travel
on a jet plane, far away (I will)
And breakaway
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it
takes til' I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish
Take a
chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and
into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I love
I'll
take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And
breakaway
Buildings with a hundred floors
Swinging around
revolving doors
Maybe I don't know where they'll take me but
Gotta
keep moving on, moving on
Fly away, breakaway
I'll spread
my wings
And I'll learn how to fly
Though it's not easy to tell
you goodbye
I gotta take a risk
Take a chance
Make a
change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But
I won't forget the place I come from
I gotta take a risk
Take a
chance
Make a change
And breakaway, breakaway, breakaway
As Suguru sang, something seemed to hit Suzan as if by full-force. Like a speeding truck had just gone head-long into her. She blinked, trying to shake away the shock, but his words struck a chord within her and she realised something.
Trying
hard to reach out
But when I tried to speak out
Felt like no
one could hear me
Wanted to belong here
But something felt so
wrong here
So I prayed I could break away
She's been so desperate to break off from her family and distinguish herself, she hadn't realised that that exact feeling was caused by the rejection she felt from being not that she was not allowed to go on missions anymore with her brothers. She took a deep breath, she suddenly felt very sick and it must've shown,
"Suzan! What's wrong . . .?" He asked as tears welled in her eyes,
"Your song . . . it was very beautiful . . . and I want to thank you. Thank you for making me realise something."
- - -
Jeff had been zoning out, waiting for Scott to report back to tell him that they were on their way home when suddenly Suzan wandered into the room. She didn't say a single word to him, she only walked towards the balcony and stood. John and Gordon watched her curiously from the sofa, over the top of a newspaper and a magazine. Suddenly, the little green plane that Suguru had rented rouse above the palm tress of the island and flew off. Suzan sighed heavily, dropping her head before turning and walking back into the living. Jeff looked up at his daughter, blocking the light at the balcony in her simple flared jeans and black t-shirt. Tears were brimming over in her eyes, he noticed,
"Come here," He said, extending his arms out to her. She couldn't sit on his lap like she used to because of his legs, but she moved around behind him and hugged him as tight as she could, dropping her forehead against his shoulder, "I'm sorry honey . . . what was it? Didn't he like the secrecy?"
"No, it was me."
"You!" John asked, almost outraged, "You're perfect! How could he not love you!"
"No . . . he did love me . . . that's the problem . . . I told him I wasn't returning to Japan. I said that I decided I was going to stay here . . . that is, if you'll let me. You said after the Lea Valley incident that if I wanted to stay at home, I could . . . once you realised that no matter where I am, you can't protect me anymore than you can the boys."
Jeff smirked,
"So you've decided to stay?"
"Mmm hmm. I'm sick of missing all the fun!"
"Well I know a couple of pilots that'll be thrilled!" Jeff chuckled, hugging his daughter's arms to his chest,
"Not to mention Grandma." Gordon added with a grin, "It'll be great to have you back, squirt."
"Thanks, Gordo." She sighed, smiling fondly at the two brother's that sat before her.
- - -
"Hey, Father told us about Suguru. We're sorry, kiddo." Scott said as he and Virgil dropped down on either side of her on the beach as she watched the sun set. She smiled weakly, dropping her head onto Scott's shoulder and let out a heavy sigh,
"Everything happens for a reason . . . I'll find someone . . . my life'll be worth living someday . . . but he made me realise that I'm just not ready to be away from you guys anymore. I was angry. I was angry with Dad for making me feel unwanted all through the summer and I was angry with you, Scott. I'm sorry . . ."
"I'm sorry too, squirt." He soothed, lifting a hand and resting it a top of her head, "So I guess that this is a cause for celebration. After all, this is New Years eve!" He beamed, "And I personally think it's definitely time that Virgil grew some and declared his undying love to Lady Penelope!"
"Heeeeey!" Virgil whined,
"So you know too, huh?"
"Of course I know! It's my job to know, dontcha know!" He chuckled,
"Ok . . . he said the word 'know' far too many times in that sentence!" Suzan said to Virgil who nodded in agreement,
"I think it's time we headed back . . . we're going to miss all the festivities!" Scott exclaimed, jumping up so that Suzan dropped onto the sand,
". . . Owwwwww . . ." She groaned. Virgil helped her up and she linked arms with the two men, heading back up towards the villa.
As the trio entered, a huge cheer echoed around the island. Suddenly, a glass of what appeared to be champagne was thrust into Suzan's hand,
"What tha . . .! Can I drink this? I'm only eighteen . . ."
"Will you shut up whilst we toast ya!" Gordon joked,
"Of course you can sweetheart, just that one, mind you!"
"Excellent!" She grinned, wiggling her eyebrows,
"Anyways, who wants to start!" Jeff asked,
"I will!" Lady Penelope declared elegantly,
"To Suzan, the best young lady and future International Rescue agent for Japan I've ever met!"
"To Suzan," Scott began, "The sane one of the family!"
"To Suzan, for all that she's taught me!" Virgil beamed,
"To Suzan, for never giving up!" Gordon chimed in,
"To Suzan," Alan said through his vidi-portrait, "welcome home, kiddo!"
"To Suzan, may we always see that smile!" John said with a little bow of his head.
The group could've gone on forever, but finally, Jeff spoke, raising his glass up high,
"To Suzan . . . the newest edition to International Rescue!"
"TO SUZAN!"
- - - To be continued . . .
Wow . . . that was kinda a long chapter.
The reason I've managed to get two chapters up in a day is because I've spent a lot of time by myself today. My sister came home from work late and I didn't feel well enough to go Kickboxing.
Also because it's 00:17 and I've had to stay up to finish my Dad's baking . . . how bizarre!